Expanding and Upgrading with SATA SSDs for Old and New Machines: c’t uplink 48.2b

SATA SSDs: Expanding and upgrading for machines old and new |  c't uplink 48.2b

PCIe SSDs are the go-to choice for modern PCs, but what if all M.2 slots are already occupied or the computer is older and doesn’t have any M.2 slots? In these cases, SATA SSDs become relevant. However, c’t has tested a few new models and discovered some inconsistencies.

During their testing, c’t found that a 512 GB SSD needed twice as many memory chips as the 1 TB variant from the same manufacturer. They also found another SSD with an odd number of memory chips. These findings resulted in a few tips for selecting the best SSD.

Interestingly, some of the SSDs had a plastic housing, while others had at least one with a metal side. The advantage of having a metal side isn’t just mechanical stability, but also heat dissipation.

When it came to read speeds, the SATA SSDs weren’t useful as a distinguishing criterion. However, write speeds were more relevant, and c’t compared them with the M.2 connection, which they found to be clearly superior if available.

Finally, the amount of storage required for locally installed AI applications was discussed as another criterion for selecting the optimal SSD. In the studio, the conversation revolved around SSDs with a SATA connection for retrofitting old PCs and notebooks as well as 2-factor authentication and how artificial intelligence could affect the media and some jobs.

The c’t podcast episode is available on YouTube, and the magazine issue is available at kiosks, in browsers, and in the c’t app for iOS and Android. This podcast episode was sponsored by AVM, Europe’s leading manufacturer of products for the digital home, which encourages people to visit jobs.avm.de for exciting job opportunities.

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